ABOUT QUICKSILVER. 223 



in the aeriform state, a condition resembling steam 

 or air. If quicksilver is carried within the Arctic 

 Circle, it no longer remains liquid, but becomes 

 solid, and can be hammered, like lead or copper. 

 The ordinary temperatures under which man flour- 

 ishes upon our planet are alone favorable to the 

 existence of this singular liquid metal. Is not 

 design clearly discernible in this ? Is it not clear, 

 in order that certain arts and art processes of ben- 

 efit to the race should be established and carried 

 on with facility, that a heavy, dense, liquid metal, 

 like quicksilver, was needed ? Possibly the world 

 could have got along without it. Our non-mer- 

 curial barometers and thermometers might have 

 been invented, the photographic process discovered, 

 and impalpable gold dust separated from its parent 

 rock through some other agency. It must be ad- 

 mitted, however, that quicksilver has served an 

 important, if not indispensable end, in originating 

 and perfecting these instruments and processes. 

 There are plenty of pretentious charlatans who 

 are busy declaiming against its usefulness or safety 

 in medicine ; but, nevertheless, mercury is a most 

 important therapeutical agent. Like all good things, 

 its employment, if directed by ignorance or care- 

 lessness, may result in injury rather than benefit ; 

 but wisely and judiciously used, it subserves impor- 

 tant curative ends, ends hardly reached by any 



